DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS POSE THREAT TO SINHARAJA

Environmentalists yesterday warned of the escalating threat faced by the Sinharaja Forest Reserve as a result of the unprecedented development projects and encroachment in the forest zones. At a media conference organised by the Environment Conservation Trust (ECT), the

con-

Unprecedented development is posing a severe threat to the forest cover

cerned environmentalists said

the main threat to the survival of the Sinharaja Rainforest Reserve had stemmed from the failure to declare the whole forest zone as a protected area. “Only a

certain

Only a certain fraction of the Sinharaja Forest Zone has been declared a protected area though its entire extent is also equally rich in bio-diversity

fraction of the Sinharaja Forest Zone has been declared a protected area though its entire extent is also equally rich in bio-diversity. Some of the forest areas are only proposed reserves.

This is the loophole, which is being exploited by certain groups to construct a road across the area linking the protected Sinharaja Forest with the proposed Beragala- Mukalana forest reserve,” ECT Director Sajeewa Chamikara said quoting a study carried out in the Sinharaja Forest Reserve recently.

Although the road construction was temporarily halted in the wake of objections raised by environmentalists, Mr. Chamikara said the workers have resumed work on the road and added that it was to be extended by another 10km to Pothupitiya-Morningside, which lies within the borders of the proposed reserve,

posing a grave threat to the eco-system in the area.